Seasonal Dynamics of Anaplasmaphagocytophila in a Rodent-Tick (Ixodes trianguliceps) System, United Kingdom

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Bown, Kevin J. ; Begon, Michael ; Bennett, Malcolm ; Woldehiwet, Zerai ; Ogden, Nicholas H.
• Description:
  We investigated the reservoir role of European wild rodents for Anaplasma phagocytophila using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of blood collected from individually tagged rodents captured monthly over 2 years. The only tick species observed in the woodland study site was Ixodes trianguliceps, and ruminant reservoir hosts were not known to occur. A. phagocytophila infections were detected in both bank voles and wood mice but were restricted to periods of peak nymphal and adult tick activity. Most PCR-positive rodents were positive only once, suggesting that rodent infections are generally short-lived and that ticks rather than rodents may maintain the infection over winter. Bank voles were more likely to be PCR positive than wood mice, possibly because detectable infections are longer lived in bank voles. This study confirms that woodland rodents can maintain A. phagocytophila in Great Britain in the absence of other reservoir hosts and suggests that I. trianguliceps is a competent vector.
• Subjects:
  Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Animals Arachnid Vectors Arvicolinae Disease Reservoirs DNA, Ribosomal Ehrlichiosis Great Britain Ixodes Molecular Sequence Data Muridae Polymerase Chain Reaction Population Dynamics Rna, Ribosomal, 16S Rodent Diseases Seasons Tick Infestations

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• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 9(1):63-70.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Europe
• Volume:
  9
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:d36a7fd8b652b00cdf706d7f074da216f1a2b50b5c26230ac8ab1a4984f195ea
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/13971/cdc_13971_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 987.52 KB ]